1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an ultrasound observation apparatus and a manufacturing method of the ultrasound observation apparatus in which a plurality of ultrasound transducers including electrodes above and below a film portion are fixed on a sheet, and end portions of the sheet are bonded after the sheet is rounded.
2. Description of the Related Art
A well-known ultrasound observation apparatus exists in which ultrasound can be repeatedly emitted in a 360° direction from ultrasound transducers to an examined site, and the ultrasound transducers can receive an echo signal of the ultrasound reflected from the examined site. An ultrasound image that is a two-dimensional visible image of the examined site can be displayed on a screen of a display apparatus.
Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Publication No. 2010-17229 discloses a configuration of an ultrasound endoscope provided with an ultrasound observation apparatus including electronic radial ultrasound transducers, the ultrasound observation apparatus provided on a distal end of an insertion portion inserted into a subject.
The electronic radial ultrasound transducers as disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Publication No. 2010-17229 are configured from a plurality of transducers. A plurality of electronic radial ultrasound transducers are arranged 360° in a circumferential direction of the insertion portion, at predetermined intervals.
More specifically, electrodes are usually provided on upper and lower surfaces of single-plate piezoelectric elements in the respective ultrasound transducers. Upper electrodes of the piezoelectric elements serving as acoustic emission surfaces are fixed to a film portion rounded 360°, at predetermined intervals in an arrangement direction of the plurality of ultrasound transducers.
Note that when an acoustic matching layer is provided on each upper electrode, each acoustic matching layer is fixed to the film portion rounded 360°, at predetermined intervals in the arrangement direction.
Therefore, the ultrasound observation apparatus includes a sheet in which the plurality of ultrasound transducers are fixed to the film portion rounded 360°, at predetermined intervals in the arrangement direction.
In the manufacture of the ultrasound observation apparatus described above, a joint of respective end portions of the sheet needs to be bonded and fixed such that the sheet on which at least a plurality of ultrasound transducers are fixed to the film portion has a circular shape after the sheet is rounded 360°.
In this case, in a transducer region of the sheet in which at least the plurality of ultrasound transducers are fixed to the film portion, the joint needs to be bonded and fixed to prevent electrical short-circuit caused by contact of a lower electrode of the ultrasound transducer fixed on a first end portion in the arrangement direction among the plurality of ultrasound transducers and a lower electrode of the ultrasound transducer adjacent to the ultrasound transducer fixed to the first end portion at the joint and fixed to a second end portion in the arrangement direction.